A friend of mine just said to me that the level cap in Skyrim is actually 81. Now, to only get this far, you need to make all skills 100. To me, thats kinda dumb because if you've been using only light armor til 100 and you never used Heavy armor, so your pretty vonerable.
Just a tad confusing is all.

FYI, Light Armor, even slightly perked, with skill bonuses, is pretty [email="kick@$$"]kick@$$[/email] at level 100.

Everything stops level-scaling at 50 (or so), so there's not much point in leveling beyond 50. At 81 you'll be one-shotting everything, including dragons. A nap might be more exciting at that point.

Here's an idea: stop playing when it gets boring and roll up a new character, perhaps one who wears heavy armor this time around.

You don't have to switch to wearing all heavy armor. Mix and match, if you want to work on heavy armor a little.

Sorry guys, thats was just an example.

You don't have to hit the level cap you know.

why would someone want to reach the lvl cap anyways


getting all skills to 100 doesn't sound like roleplaying to me.

Well, I don't because frankly, I have better things to do, like LIFE

People with MMO mentality usually think you need to hit the cap in everything.

Skyrim wasn't really designed for characters to hit the level cap. You have the option to do so if you want, but you can easily explore what the game has to offer even in none of your characters ever get past lvl 50.

Well, I personally attempt to get everything done on my character. I may be past the point of roleplaying now, but I want to do all I can with my main character.

Currently my character is level 73. The only skills that aren't capped out are lockpick (74), 2 Handed Weapons (27), Destruction (52), 1 Handed Weapons (77), and Pickpocket (33).
I am done with the main quest. I have done only 7 quests for the Civil War so far. I'm done with all but the repeating quests with the Dark Brotherhood (I've done 26 DB quests). I finished the Companions stuff last night. I finished the Mage Guild a few weeks ago.

Remaining, I need to do a few more Bard quests, most of the thieves guild quest (I have put this off for a while due to it's buggieness), I need 2 more shouts, 2 more shrines, 4 more dragon priest masks, finish the Civil War, and just a few more daedric items.

I'd rather do all my stuff on one character. Heck, I played EverQuest for 10+ years, almost all of that primarily on my bard. I like to exhaust content with one character before I even consider starting over.

I am over 250 hours (including paused time) with an 11 MB save file on the Playstation 3.

I know what you're saying OP. It kind of takes the fun out of a rpg game when you can't level up anymore. Especially in game with over 100 hours of content. If I didn't want to use magic 1-50, I still don't want to use magic just to level up. I have some ideas on how to keep leveling by using the skills we want, but those ideas are better left for mods. I wouldn't mind needing to have 150 skill in two handed to use a powerful two handed weapon as an example. It's not perfect, but I would still be rewarded for using the skill I want. Or destruction magic gets damage increases after 90 skill but levels twice as slow and caps at 200 skill. Enemies scale up to level 100. Extreme versions of enemies appear at level 65. Bandit Warlord, Ancient Dragons attack in pairs/groups, Vampires appear out of thin air and attack you, etc. It's not for everyone though.

There is no in game reason to go beyond Level 50. By that time, the skills you are using in your Role are probably maxed out. The only way to go beyond that level is to use skills that are not part of your role. However, anything over level 50 is really academic and has no in game benifits other than some increased Health/Mana/Stamina which you would not need by the time you are this point in the game.

Soft Cap is 50. The Player, and ONLY the Player, can reach level 81

That is sadly true, when i played WOW, there where people just rushing and getting boosted to get to the lvl cap because they thought that that was the way to play the game. The end-content was more important then the journey to that point.
But this is a game that needs to be played on a slower pace, so you can enjoy the whole damm thing. At least thats my point for playing Skyrim!
So i was supprised to hear there even was a lvl cap.
Don't worry 'bout it and just enjoy the game

Well, the level cap is logically the point at which you've levelled every skill to 100, because that's the point at which you can't get any more experience. If you've levelled every skill *except* heavy armor to 100, then you can still get more experience by levelling heavy armor. There's no reason why you'd want to, but you could.

agreed. but, i do like the fact that the level is beyond the 50-ish enemy cap so that i have the OPTION to make a complete max character that can do whatever, whenever at whim.

today, i don't want to start a new character and can play whatever style i choose.

Unless there are perks you would like. I know personally, I have planned out 81 perks, whether I get to 81 or not is another story. There are at least 81 useful perks to my character based upon his build.

It's not the level, it's how you got there. Nuff said?

Exept http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:J%27zargo

How far you get level-wise also largely depends on your build. For example, my archer/assassin build is at level 61 and will stop leveling at 63 or 64.
I didn't specifically build her to level that far, but my skill choices just happened to bring her into that level range.

In case you're wondering:

- Primary skills: Archery, 1-Handed for backstabs, Illusion, Sneak, Alchemy
- Secondary: Smithing, Light Armor, Restoration, Pickpocketing

Skills that level in any case: Lockpicking, Speech, and sometimes Blocking

Got it. Skills are maxed. Well it was fun levelling and developing my character. I still have atleast 25 hours of game left as I haven't started the main quest. And am only Thane of Whiterun and have never rested or used mage/thief/warrior stone. Guess I'll start a new game because I have beat Skyrim already.

There is still stuff to do and I know this is how the game was designed, what I'm saying is the majority of people like to keep leveling and developing their character. Especially in a game with "radiant questing/infinite quests". Hey guys we have infinite quests but most people will achieve 100 skill in the skills they want by level 50. How about we make an end games skill progression after 100 skill that still rewards the player. Doesn't even have to go on forever, could stop at 150 skill.

Maybe I'm alone here, but I found close to 100 skill and level 50 came way faster than I had time to properly explore/play the game.

I like it gives you such a high option you fan advance it you want to. I know I will level some of my characters over level fifty some might not ever hit the cap. I just like having the option its there I can go last it if I wish and I will do so.

actually, unless you're purposefully making a max character all you are actually doing is making a specific character an all-around and more non-specific one.

Dumb has nothing to do with it; being an overachiever....maybe. I'm lvl. 80, closing in on 81, with pickpocket 85, and twohanded 96 left to go.